Five members of a family who were found murdered in Gazipur’s Kapasia upazila have been laid to rest in Gopalganj.

After the namaz-e-janaza at Paikandi village in Gopalganj Sadar upazila, the bodies were buried side by side at the family graveyard on Sunday.

A pall of gloom descended on the area as grieving relatives and locals broke down in tears during the burial.

Family members and local residents demanded the immediate arrest of the prime accused, Furkan Mia, and his exemplary punishment.

Earlier in the morning, an emotional scene unfolded when the bodies arrived at the village around 6am. Hundreds of people from nearby areas gathered to pay their last respects.

The deceased were Sharmin Begum, 32, her brother Rasul Mia, 22 and Sharmin’s three daughters -Mim, 14, Habiba, 10, and Faria, 2.

The main accused, Sharmin’s husband Furkan Mia, remains absconding.

Police said  the bloodstained bodies of the five people were recovered on Saturday morning from a house in Rautkandi village of Kapasia upazila. Investigators suspect the killings took place late Friday night.

The incident came to light after Furkan called relatives early Saturday and informed them about the murders.

Sharmin’s maternal uncle Arj Sheikh said they rushed to Gazipur after receiving the news.“The scene was too horrific to describe. We want the highest punishment for Furkan,” he said.

Relatives suspect that sleeping pills were mixed with food before the victims were killed.

Sharmin’s father Shahadat Molla filed a murder case with Kapasia Police Station accusing Furkan Mia as the prime suspect along with four to five unidentified persons.